1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally in the field of power plants. More specifically, the present invention is in the field of hydrokinetic generators with means to adapt to changes in streamline direction and magnitude of a free-flowing motive fluid. Most importantly, the present invention maximizes net energy by utilizing a hydrokinetic generator mounted on a marine sailing vessel that also limits drag on the vessel in a controlled manner.
2. Description of Prior Art
Considering present humankind's primary source of energy, fossil fuel can diminish to the point of negligible net energy within this century; there exists a fundamental need for developing renewable and sustainable sources of energy including further exploitation of readily available known resources. More specifically, there exists a need for a novel approach to ensure least impact to environment and low civic infrastructure costs such that the energy investment return is most quickly realized. Utmost, to optimally exploit oceanic energy, which may be attained anywhere over approximately three quarters of the surface of the planet thus availing vast industrial growth potential, the main obstacle existing is the delivery from such an expansive source of energy.
While many patents exist for harnessing energy from pneumatic and hydraulic sources, relatively few have considered a mobile structure to facilitate delivery of energy and maintenance and servicing of the structure. For instance, wind turbines mounted on abandoned off shore oil rigs, as well as both wind turbines and hydrokinetic turbines mounted on structures essentially resembling deep-sea buoys have begun to proliferate. These types of structures obviously do not adequately address delivery of energy considering their distance from the shore, the actual distribution center. These structures also impede maritime traffic and present maintenance difficulties especially in severe weather conditions. Another limitation of this prior art overcome by the present invention is that the density of water is approximately seven hundred seventy five times greater than air and thus a wind turbine must occupy an area seven hundred seventy five times greater than a hydrokinetic turbine in order to yield equivalent power given equal velocity of the motive fluids. The prior art structures utilizing hydrokinetic turbines yield power limited by the velocity of the motive fluid converted from wave motion alone. In contrast, a sailing vessel of limited drag may achieve velocities greater than the wind velocity thus illustrating one way in which the present invention optimally uses the advantages of combining hydraulic and pneumatic mediums. Even fewer patents so far have addressed the need to reduce drag caused by the mobile structure while engaged in the motive fluid.
The reduction of drag, the combined exploitation of hydraulic and pneumatic energy mediums, and the integration into a singular mobile combined generation and delivery system with means to optimally respond in a controlled manner to changes in velocities of the media exemplify the patentable novelty the present invention holds over prior art.